Register now to get rid of these ads!

Art & Inspiration What goes around, comes around, The Flamed Pedal car / slightly O/T

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Harms Way, Aug 3, 2011.

  1. Harms Way
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 6,894

    Harms Way
    Member

    When My Sons were young, I found a old pedal car (on garbage night :eek:), washed it down, cleaned it up with Lysol,... Found some old rattle cans in the garage and some tape,... And made them a flamed pedal car to thrash around the back yard with,... They had countless hours of fun with it,... running into the house, driving over things,..... putting it up on bricks and pretending they were working on it, basically beating the snot out of it !:D,..... Which is exactly what I had intended on giving it to them for. It "EARNED" every scratch it got !,....

    Well, like what happens with all toys,.. as they grew a little older year by year, The old pedal car got used a little less,.... and less,..... until they were both to big for it,.... And besides,.. that kind of thing was for little kids anyway,.... (They both agreed in there little grade school voices :))
    So the old girl got put into the rafters of the garage,... and forgotten about, Until we decided to move,.... We were ridding our lives of all things that served no purpose,... With mixed emotions, The little pedal car fit this criteria ,...... And after a few dollars exchanged hands at a garage sale,...it was gone,........

    I had often thought through the years of my Sons playing with that old pedal car,.... Not that the pedal car was all that special,... but the fun they had with it, is something that is still discussed when we all get together,....

    This is the old pedal car back in the 80's with one of it two "Race Drivers' at the wheel :D,.....
    [​IMG]

    Who got to drive became a source of heated debate,... and several headaches for old Dad,..... So we added another car to the team,... But it was no where near as popular.
    [​IMG]

    Fast forward to last fall,.... I was at the Midland Mi. Swap Meet,... I'm walking around,..... And stop dead in my tracks !,... There it was !, among a bunch of other pedal cars,.... I talk to the guy,... he tells me his price,... I think about it, Reach for the money,...... And then figure,... I better see if my sons even care about it any more. After all it was part of there childhood,....

    So I call my one son,.... He was glad to hear I found it,.. when I asked him if I should buy it,... He said,.. I don't know,... what would we do with it ?,... He was right,.. So I called my other son,... got almost the same response,.. We did talk about getting it so my grandson could play with it,... But in the end, He had his own toys,.... So I snapped a couple pictures and let it go,... again......

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I walked around for a couple hours,.... Thinking about My Boys and that old piece of junk,.... Finally I decided to go back and get it,.... As I walked up,.. My heart kind of sank,.... All the other pedal cars were there, Except that one,.......

    As it turns out, it was the only pedal car he sold at the show,.. and it was because the person liked the old spray bomb flames,..... So,... once again it's gone,.. Hopefully it might be making new memories for some little kids that will talk about it when they grow up. As for my sons and I ,..we still have the memories, and they never take up room, break, rust, fade,... or chip,.... they always remain just as you left them. :)

    However, within a half hour of finding out it was sold,.. I received a call from both of my sons, encouraging me to go back and buy it,... I told them it was gone. They said,.. oh well, maybe it's for the best.

    Thanks for letting me ramble,....
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2011
  2. Xtrom
    Joined: Mar 23, 2010
    Posts: 1,029

    Xtrom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Forman, ND

    Cool car and a cool story!
     
  3. Kool little car and story. The time too buy an antique (collectible) is when you see it. It would still look great just hanging in the garage rafters and maybe someday put back on the sidewalk with a grandson or daughter driving.
     
  4. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    maybe I'm wierd because A: I never would have sold it in the first place and B: I would have bought it back in a heartbeat without giving it a second thought.
     

  5. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,406

    alchemy
    Member

    When I was 17 my Mom brought home a pedal car just like yours, except it didn't have the rear compartment, from a garage sale. She said we should fix it up for my little brother who was one year old.

    The car got mechanically tuned up, some bodywork, and then a louvered hood. My boss at the bodyshop I worked at during the summer said we could paint it there. He dug out the candy colors, and the thing ended up candy purple with darker scallops.

    Mike drove it lots, and we took in in the trunk of the '40 coupe to the Nationals. Then Mike grew out of it and it went in the rafters.

    About 20 years later the pedal car came out of the rafters and was used again by my other brother's sons. And will remain in the family for another generation after that.
     
  6. Harms Way
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 6,894

    Harms Way
    Member

    Nope !,... not weird,.... And that's what I should have done.
     
  7. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    I found an Indy style pedal car at a swap meet. I found wheels for it and painted it. Even found some cool decals for it. I gave it to my nephew when he was 3 and he loved it. When he got too old for it my sister, his mom, was going to trash it. I saved it and have it sitting in my den. He's 15 now and every time he comes over, he gets a grin out of it.

    There's some things you just never let go.
     
  8. fab32
    Joined: May 14, 2002
    Posts: 13,985

    fab32
    Member Emeritus

    Yup, some thing just find their way back home. I always wanted a go cart and growing up in an Air Force family dad was always reluctant to add anything to the manifest when we moved so frequently. I survived just fine without one as some of my friends had them and I was more than glad to help them wear theirs out. Fast forward to when I have a son and he is asking about a go kart. Remembering how much I wanted one he was not to be denied. As I ran my own fabrication business it seemed foolish to buy something we could build. A few feet of oval track seamless tubing, a new 5hp B&S, mom on the sewing machine to cover the seat and we had a mobile son. Son leaves for college, well worn go-kart, long stored away, gets given to my friends son who is just the right age. He wears out a couple of flathead 5 hp engines on the block he lives on and lets it drift into his memory bank. my friend gives it to his friend's son and the cycle starts once again. Last year I spotted it at a garage sale w/o engine and buy it for $20. Another new engine and 4 new tires and I make a gift of it to the son of one of our church friends. He's still chugging away trying his best to wear it out again. Wonder who will be next.:cool::)

    Frank
     
  9. derbydad276
    Joined: May 29, 2011
    Posts: 1,336

    derbydad276
    Member

    pedal cars are part of the detroit autorama they even have their own catagory

    I thinks its on topic but wtf do I know

    it exposes kids to cars and lets them have a ride as cool as dads
     
  10. el Scotto
    Joined: Mar 3, 2004
    Posts: 4,698

    el Scotto
    Member
    from Tracy, CA

    Great story!

    I've been in the market for a cool old affordable pedal car to fix up for my little boy Cam.

    They sure do bring a mint at the swap meets, don't they?
     
  11. ChromePlaterJosh
    Joined: Feb 15, 2009
    Posts: 667

    ChromePlaterJosh
    Member

    We never got rid of our pedal cars.

    Heres is a pic taken this Spring at a car show. the one on the right is piloted by my niece. My dad pulled it out of a scrap metal heap in the 80's. He painted it up and put my name and my older brother's name on it. I still remember driving it.

    The older pedal car on the left was my grandpa's childhood toy, but I never saw it until I was too big to use it. Piloting that one is my daughter.

    And of course you gotta love the chromed out shop truck in the background.:cool:

    [​IMG]
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Harms Way
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 6,894

    Harms Way
    Member

    I am very proud of both of my Sons,.. Here they are about 4 years ago finishing a "O/T" Car. and then detailing it for Frankenmuth,... (Again sorry about the O/T car)
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    My Grandson is a car guy as well,... This T Bucket was one of my sons "High School" Metal shop projects,... unfinished, my other son bought it,... did a little work,.. and it stalled,.. Below is my grandson bolting the body down to the frame,.... Somebody will finish it someday.:D

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    My dear friends,....... I am a VERY Blessed man ,....:)
     
  13. GREAT STORY!!!!!! At least you still have the pictures but most of all the memories in your mind.
    I had a miniature race car powered by a Subaru chainsaw engine that my son used to thrash around in when he was about 8 or 9.Traded it off for a Pontiac engine and transmission that still sits in the corner of my shop waiting to be installed.
    Several years ago I came across a battery powered Indy type car with the Kroger stores livery.It needed a battery and some paint work and for one reason or another has been sitting on top of my 57 safari for awhile now.Several friends have expressed an interest in buying it but I declined.
    Now my only grandson is approaching 3 years old and I have been meaning to fix it up for him to thrash on.This story has given me some inspiration to start on that.
     
  14. ANDEREGG TRIBUTE
    Joined: Jan 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,385

    ANDEREGG TRIBUTE
    Member
    from Bordertown

    X2

    I dont get rid of much and most of what I have gotten rid of I regret it and need it two weeks later:mad::mad::mad:
     
  15. Great story and thanks for sharing and reminding us of the importance of small things and memories.

    Although you are not enjoying it, I am sure someone and someone else's child is,....need to track one of those down for my little boy :)
     
  16. cool storythnksfor the post
     
  17. Mad Mark
    Joined: Jun 23, 2007
    Posts: 481

    Mad Mark
    Member

    That old Garton pedal car is probably worth a nickel or two. ;)
     
  18. lippy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2006
    Posts: 6,825

    lippy
    Member
    from Ks

    That story touched my heartstrings. When I was a small boy we lived in Calif. We would come back to Ks on vacation. My Grandpa had a pedal airplane and I would run that thing all over the farm. Wow, long time ago. Thanks for the story for sure. Lippy
     
  19. badshifter
    Joined: Apr 28, 2006
    Posts: 3,535

    badshifter
    Member

    Great story! Even the ending is ok. Maybe it just wanted to see you and let you know it was still doing well, and on the job. Kinda Toy Storyish. Yeah, I have kids.
     
  20. Harms Way
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 6,894

    Harms Way
    Member

    If any of you guys happen to run across whoever ended up with this pedal car, please let me know,... Even if they don't want to get rid of it,.. maybe the story of it's last 20 sone years might be of some interest to them. Thanks Guys .
     
  21. diceman
    Joined: Apr 10, 2007
    Posts: 27

    diceman
    Member

    Great Story! Hope you find the car again. I have always liked pedal cars. Attached is a picture of an electric car with a pedal car body that Ryan Cochran's dad and I built for Ryan's daughter.


    [​IMG]
     
  22. Harms Way
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 6,894

    Harms Way
    Member

    That ! ,..... is Awesome ! :D
     
  23. Harms Way
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 6,894

    Harms Way
    Member

    If any of you guys knows who had the pedal car in the lead post,.... Please let me know.
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.